Much of Punjab Kings’ success in the TATA IPL 2025 was driven by their four uncapped players and Shreyas Iyer’s leadership, but the challenge now will be for the ‘Fearless Prodigies’ to replicate last year’s success. Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh shared his thoughts on the young stars in his side, the learnings from last season, and the role of Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer in turning the franchise’s fortunes around.
Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh spoke about what makes the youngsters stand out:
“The best thing about the youngsters is that they are completely fearless. Players from Punjab, like Nehal Wadhera, Suryansh Shedge, and Harnoor Singh, all of them don’t think too much. I’ve realised that we tend to overthink at times, even I do, but these guys don’t. The less they think, the better they perform. When they’re batting, even if they play four dots or get beaten, they don’t dwell on it. They just focus on the next ball. In the IPL, it’s more about confidence, and that’s their biggest strength. Guys like Priyansh or Suryansh have a different level of talent, I watch them bat every day. The only thing they need is a bit of maturity. I consider myself a mature cricketer now, and with them, I feel the sooner they learn to adapt quickly to situations, the better it will be for them.”
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On how Head Coach Ricky Ponting and Captain Shreyas Iyer changed Punjab Kings’ fortunes:
“The way they back us during practice sessions, and keep a tab on us throughout the year is very important. We play a lot of cricket round the year. So, when you play regularly, maturity becomes less of an issue. The brand of cricket we play and why we are so fearless is because of the environment. They have given us complete freedom, and that’s something I’ve always felt. I remember the first qualifier against RCB, even when we lost, and were able to score just over 100, we never spoke negatively about anything. Even after a game like that, where we lost badly, the talk was always about taking positives into the next game. Even now, in the current camp, the conversations are only positive. When someone gives you that much freedom and trust, I think the results will come sooner or later.”
On learnings from the last season:
“This year we are even more motivated because, obviously, last year, when we didn’t win the final. We felt that something was missing, and this time, we have prepared in a way that it is not the case. Each of the batters, whatever mistakes we made last season, we have worked on them. Everyone is very motivated and pumped up. Obviously, teams must have planned for us because reaching the final in a tournament like the IPL is a big thing. You have 10 champion teams, but still, I feel we have an edge because everyone is preparing well and is highly motivated. The atmosphere is amazing, so hopefully, we will have an even better year.”
On expectations from youngsters like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya:
“Teams will definitely be well prepared, and there will be pressure to perform this year. Expectations will be high, which is usual in India. Suryavanshi is a star in the making, but there are certain technical areas we will try to exploit to get him out. The same goes for Priyansh and for other teams. Hence, the second season is even more important. The mental side is about handling expectations as expectations will be more from them now. We have seen it many times: someone has a great season, and then the next year, they don’t get the same opportunities. I can’t say much about Suryavanshi because I don’t know him personally very well, but from what I’ve seen, he is very calm. With Priyansh, he knows exactly what he wants from his cricketing life. I think he will do really well this year as well.”
On working with Head Coach Ricky Ponting:
“The way Ricky Ponting handles everyone, from players to the support staff, creates a strong team environment, which is crucial in a tournament like the IPL. Not everyone plays every game, so how you treat the rest of the squad really matters. He makes sure everyone feels valued. From the very first meeting, he made it clear that no one would be judged on performance alone; everyone is equal, whether it’s Shreyas Iyer or a new player like Vishal Nishad, a spinner from UP. His attitude does not change from person to person. His cricketing knowledge is very sharp. I have worked with Brian Lara as well, and he is right up there. He keeps things simple, even in meetings, which really helps when you are not doing well and tend to overthink. He is also very positive as a person, and you learn a lot from him beyond cricket. The understanding and respect he shares with Shreyas is excellent, and since they think alike, it makes working under him really enjoyable. It is very important for the Captain and the Coach to be on the same page.”
